The University of Arizona and Chandler announced last week the
two are teaming up to bring a university presence, along with
master's and certificate programs, to the downtown area as soon as
this May.

"We've been working aggressively to bring a university presence to
downtown," said Chandler Mayor Jay Tibshraeny. "This begins a
journey that brings together a number of entities and will bring
even more energy to downtown Chandler."

The campus expects to have about 30 students in the first year,
with 10 to 15 percent growth each year after, said Mike Proctor, UA
vice provost for outreach and global initiatives, and dean of the
Outreach College. Over time, that will lead to a significant
growth, he said.

"This is Arizona's Silicon Valley," Proctor said, citing the Price
Corridor, which houses businesses such as Intel, Amkor Technologies
and other technology research and development and manufacturing
companies. "This is where it's at."

In Chandler, the College of Education will begin offering three
graduate programs starting in May 2012, which include Teach
Arizona, MASTER-IP and a graduate education specialist program in
school psychology.

Teach Arizona is a one-year master's program for those who already
have a bachelor's degree and want to become middle or high school
(grades 7-12) teachers. It is primarily targeted at those who are
looking for a career change and veterans, but also recent
undergraduate students.

"There are retirees who worked for Intel who are still young. There
are retirees who served in the military who are still young," Clift
said. Their work experience brings something different to the
classroom, she said. Work experience can show students practical
and real life applications for their learning.

The Math and Science Teacher Education/Retention Industry
Partnership, or MASTER-IP, places currently employed middle school
or high school teachers in internships with industry leaders.
Teachers learn the ins-and-outs of the practical application of
their subject and bring that knowledge back to their
students.

"I saw the research side of things and saw my content being applied
in industry," said Mel Wendell, a science teacher at Mountain
Pointe High School in the Ahwatukee Foothills.

Wendell interned last summer at Sundt Construction and commuted to
Tucson each Friday for the classroom coursework. Her time at Sundt
changed the way she teaches and even inspired a project, she
said.

Additionally, her time at the company led her to meeting an
engineer willing to help out with the school's robotics club, she
said.

The Department of Management Information Systems will offer a
certificate in Enterprise Security (starting Fall 2012) and in
Business Intelligence and Analytics (starting spring 2013). A
master's program in Management Information Systems will begin in
May, which will combine a hybrid online and on-site learning
experience. The graduate certificates will count toward the
degree.

Foundations of Library and Information Services, an entry level
course for a master's student at the School of Information
Resources and Library Science, will also be offered in Chandler
beginning in June.

The UA will be housed in the second floor of the Downtown Community
Center, located at 125 E. Commonwealth Ave., in rooms that have
remained empty since the city moved to offices in the new City Hall
at the end of 2010. Only minor changes will have to be made,
essentially a fresh coat of paint and new carpet.